1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to optical apparatus and more specifically to integrated optical assemblies.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to employ complementary Vee-grooves in two mating members to align and clamp fiber optic waveguides for splicing purposes. An example of a structure of this nature is to be found in the Miller U.S. Pat. No. 3,864,018 issued Feb. 4, 1975.
It is also known to employ a crystallographically etched Vee-groove in a substrate having a thin film planar waveguide integral therewith to support an optical fiber in alignment with the waveguide. U.S. Pat. No. 3,774,987, issued Nov. 27, 1973 to L. P. Boivan shows such a structure.
The instant invention combines and expands the principles of the prior art to provide an optical assembly wherein two or more wafers having a pattern of complementary grooves, rails, and cavities preferably formed by crystallographic etching, are provided with integral optical and electro-optical components which are coactively aligned by means of the complementary grooves and rails to function as an integrated optical system, and the complementary grooves and cavities are further adapted to support and align loose optical components such as lenses and optical fibers for coaction with the optical components integral with the wafers.